This multicenter study demonstrates that pediatric severe sepsis is common and is a factor in the high mortality rate that is observed in PICUs in Southwest China.

The mortality rate remains high; therefore, improved clinical management and implementation of large-scale clinical trials are necessary to improve early diagnosis and treatment.

A total of 10,598 patients were consecutively admitted between September 1, 2016, and August 31, 2017.

All patients were screened and evaluated for severe sepsis or septic shock.

245 patients who were diagnosed with severe sepsis or septic shock were included in the study, with an incidence rate of 2.3%.

64.0% of the enrolled patients were male with 80.8% being less than 5 years old and 60.8% being from rural areas.

The respiratory system was the most common organ system in which dysfunction was observed (76.7%) as well as the most frequently infected site (37.6%).

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